Mo closed her eyes; focused on the beating of his heart. All else lost in a silky tide of contentment.
“What the hell?” Zack bolted upright. He heard the elevator doors shut. “Mo?” he called reaching across the bed for her. He rose searching in the crack of light from the door for his revolver. He slowly opened the bedroom door and saw a shadow move in the low light. “Stop. Don’t move.”
“Honey, if I’m going to risk getting shot every time I need a drink of water I’m going to have to hide your gun at night.” Mo turned toward him glass in hand. She wore her work out clothes. She noticed his eyes on her gear. “I was wide awake, I thought I’d sneak to the gym and work out while you slept.”
Zack set his gun on the coffee table “It’s not light yet. You couldn’t have had more than four or five hours.” he yawned and scratched at his bandaged side.
She wasn’t going to mention another dream had awakened her and forced the doubts back into her mind “I figured we could have breakfast when you woke up. Why don’t you go back to sleep. I’ll be back in an hour. Maybe get a little nap.”
“I heard the elevator.” Zack glanced at the doors.
“My other lover made a quick exit. I told him you were armed but only on one side.” Mo walked over to him and held the glass out. “You smell like me.” She whispered. He gave her a sleepy smile. His hair was akimbo and his face was bristly. Her heart thumped.
He took a hard gulp and set the glass down. “Why don’t we work out together, then we can both take a nap. He put his arm around her. “Who was on the elevator?”
“Careful, Baby. Just Meese. He came up to escort me to the gym. But I wasn’t quite ready. He’s waiting down stairs.”
“Where would he be otherwise?” He rubbed his lips lightly on her ear.
“Downstairs.” Mo stroked a hand along his good arm.
“Then no harm done.” He pulled her into the bedroom.
Roddy watched Zack watch Mo. Zack was gazing in wonder while she somersaulted once, twice, three times and was caught by Claude hanging by his knees. “Hep!” She gave a little shout as she was thrown off again. This time spinning a mid air pirouette and catching the other trapeze. Her body was a fluid kind of strength. Disciplined yet loose and free. Zack thought he could watch her forever as she soared and spun and swung. He closed his eyes a moment remembering the agility of her body as they made love in the hours before dawn. He had almost forgotten his condition she made it so easy for him with her imaginative postures and cooing encouragements. He was lost in a reverie of sighs when he heard Roddy’s voice.
“Zack! So you couldn’t stay away you love us so much!” Roddy leaned down to Zack in a wheelchair and shook his hand landing a kiss on each of his cheeks. It had seemed strange at first to Zack, but with so many performers from so many parts of the world he’d gotten used to a variety of greetings.
Thanks for your concern, Roddy. It was really nice for you all to send flowers and cards. How are you?”
“I do much better than you. You shot in the leg too?” Roddy surveyed Zack’s lower limbs.
“No, but I will be if I get out of this chair. Doctor’s…” Zack jerked his head upward “…orders.” He winced his regret at the movement.
“I would not defy her if I were you. I am glad to see you Zack. What they tell you. You going to be okay?” Roddy smoothed his comb over with a look of sympathetic curiosity.
“I’m thinking about going into show business, Roddy. I’ve developed a new talent. You can get someone to throw magnets at me and I catch them without using my hands. But they better have good aim. I’ve got a plate holding my clavicle together. Kinda close to my head, so aim’s important.
Roddy’s eyes bulged even more than usual. Zack laughed. “Okay, I guess it’s just not classy enough for your outfit.” Roddy broke out into laughter into which he incorporated a couple Italian epitaphs.
“Serious as a heartbeat, Zack, I want to talk to you.” He looked up at Mo and yelled. “I take your patient, Momo, he safe with me.” He turned Zack in his chair and rolled him towards the corridor, greeting and encouraging, or berating, performers along the way. He gave Meese a look that said, “Keep your eyes peeled.” In the office he settled in with a brandy. Zack figured why the hell not, and had one of his own. “I have the proposal for you. You are young. Oh, no doubt about you get well. You strong man. Have you never considered a different job? I get the feeling you not so happy being the policeman.”
“What are you getting at, Roddy?” Zack gave him a searching look. “It’s not like you to beat around the bush…be indirect.”
“We, the company, meet about show and whole situation. The company decide to form own security team. Not unhappy with guys you hire but the expense! Mo and whole company worth it, of course. But we travel months and months, city to city. All the world. We say it more practical to have… how you say?... in house, security. Security that travel with us to save expense, true. But we don’t have to find best people each city. Saves time. And the loyalty. Relationship with company very important. Most time I don’t handle the business. Focus on performers. Make sure everybody in top form. But I am in charge what happen on tour. I say I choose. I work show with the hands on.”
“So you want to create an in house security team? To travel with the show?” Zack sipped his brandy. Roddy had mentioned hiring him but he had not taken it seriously. He had been waiting to get back to the homicide department and sloughed it off as a joke. Now look at him. “If you need a list of people I can help you with that. I know some good guys. Lots of experience in police work, but looking for something more. But I guess you want people based in Montreal.”
“Are you looking for something more, Zack?” Roddy sniffed a cigar with his eyes closed with the pleasure of it. Then he looked seriously at Zack.
“You mean me? I might think about it if things were different. But look at me, Roddy. Kind of useless right now.”
“You would consider to leave the police?” Roddy’s brows furrowed quizzically then his face broadened into a smile. “I want you, Zack. You head security team, you manage, you hire, you take charge of all security business. You pick your team. You travel the world with us.”
“I don’t have experience with security. Not really. I took some courses…worked some stuff part time at the McCormick, downtown and…” Zack sputtered doubtfully.
“What to know? You keep my performers safe. Zack, when Ling killer is caught, and that job of Greendale police, it will be routine security. We can’t expect arena security guards to protect big show. We need professional. Somebody smart; you hire top people and figure it out. I have the confidence. Most important you have trust of everybody. Most important thing is trust.”
“I wish it were that easy. Not that I’m ungrateful, but there’s other issues to think about.” Zack was getting tired and the offer set his mind awhirl.
“You don’t want to stop being police? Roddy clipped the cigar, saw Zack’s distressed look and set it aside. It was clear he’d had enough for one day.
“Roddy. You know that Mo and I are… well, involved.” He set his glass aside. The brandy was making him sleepy. He’d not taken pain medication and was feeling it.
“I see you are happy together. Mo happy. Happy than ever.” Roddy smoothed a mustache. “I see no problem.”
“We haven’t known each other very long. She might find it presumptuous if I said yes. I wouldn’t blame her. She might feel uncomfortable if I was around all the time. I’m interested but Mo and me, we need more time. I can’t say yes now. Plus I have this arm to deal with. Al Simpson’s doing his best on the murder. I’ll be staying with Mo while your show is still here. She’ll be safe. The boys do fine when she cooperates. I can’t say what’s going to happen in two weeks and by God, Roddy; I don’t think I can stand to think about it.” Zack grunted and blew out a breath. The healing clavicle was starting to feel like being run through with a steel shank. “I’m sorry; I’m going to have to go
back to the room. Look, Roddy, can you hold off mentioning this to Mo?”
“We let performers know when new arrangements are…settled. She do not need to know now. Let me take you. You think later. When you ready to consider proposal you let me know. No need to hurry, we wait for you. ” Roddy rolled Zack out of the office thinking of the glow in Mo’s face and the sparkle in her eyes when she’d arrived at the coliseum early that afternoon. He looked forward to the new security arrangement very much indeed.
“Oh no you don’t.” Mo dodged Zack’s hand. “A few hours of sleep might make you think you feel better but I think we’d better take a break. She had rushed back to her room without taking off her makeup. She held a washcloth in her hand. “It’ll take half an hour to get this crap of my face, anyway. I didn’t shower. I thought I’d take a bath. You are going to rest tonight or I’ll hurt your other arm.”
“I kinda like the devil in you, come here.” He tried to slide his good arm around her waist.
“Back off, I mean it.” She pushed him away laughing.
He settled on the bed giving her a ‘poor me’ look. She snorted a laugh and went into the bathroom. He was tired. Desire struggled with exhaustion and pain. He didn’t want to miss any time he could have with her. With Roddy’s proposal he’d had to begin to think about the future, which was what he’d been trying to avoid. What he really wanted to do what get in that huge tub with Mo and not think about anything but her delicious responses. He looked at his bandages with derision. Then turned his head toward the bathroom as he heard her singing. A contented grin eased as thoughts came crashing in. He would have to heal and have physical therapy for weeks. Roddy had sent a packet over explaining the proposal in writing. The salary was something he’d never even dreamed of. Even more than they’d paid him for the time he’d been Mo’s impromptu bodyguard. They were even offering to cover the time staying with her now. Roddy had thought of every enticement. The benefits were marvelous. Better than CPD. And they offered to hire a physical therapist for the duration of his recuperation. He’d never heard of such a thing. He would be an executive. A traveling hands on security executive with a salary that blew his mind. Did they want him that badly, or was this all about keeping Mo happy. Was Roddy trying to buy him for Mo? No, he was being ridiculous.
Trust was a big deal for them. As with cops, lives depended on it. Roddy sized people up the same way he did. He had to be ruthless in making judgments about who he brought into the show. The company took applications and did interviews but no one worked the show without Roddy’s approval. He’d stashed the packet in his bag. He needed more time. What if at the end of the run Mo didn’t want him around on a permanent basis? He wasn’t going to create an awkward situation for her.
Their brief time had been mild friendship turned to fiery passion punctuated by extreme trauma. So much had happened in such a short time. Was her need for him a reaction to all that had happened? Hard to believe a woman of such strength and confidence would need to cling to him out of fear. Yet anyone would be grasping at comfort and security under the circumstances. He closed his eyes and listened to her hum and sing. The sound of her splashing washed a vibrant joy over him that transcended arousal. The tension in his chest told him he could never live without her.
That’s stupid he told himself. What, if ultimately, she didn’t want him. He would have to live with it. He wouldn’t take the job he told himself. That would put too much pressure on her. Better to deal with things at the end of the run. But the possibilities the offer had opened up were just too much. Roddy had presented a way he could be with Mo. He knew Mo giving up her career was not an option. He didn’t want it to be. It was who she was as much as he had thought being a cop was who he was. But he had long felt being a homicide detective had been pulling him down into the abyss of a grim world view.
Now he realized it had been the case even before Ray or the death of his parents. Even before he’d become a detective. It colored everything no matter how hard he tried to find the good. It was a necessary job and there were a thousand men and women who’d love to have his job and many of them were deserving. He knew he wasn’t going back even if he didn’t accept Roddy’s offer. But wasn’t it worth a shot? If it didn’t work out he could be replaced much more easily than Mo. If Roddy understood from the beginning that he wouldn’t stay if it compromised Mo in any way, why not take the job? Why not bet on himself and Mo instead of against them. He would take the job if she wanted him to at the end of the run. He would risk anything to be with her. The next few days Zack’s outlook on life hummed with the joy of loving Mo and contemplating the future in a way he never had before.
Mo hummed in a good mood feeling invigorated by her continued triumph with the show and the sense of completeness Zack brought to her life. There was something about him these last few days. A new exuberance. While still recovering he had certainly translated that exuberance into their lovemaking. He had taken her in and out of her costume after the show. Now she relaxed in the bath once more while Zack ordered them a late dinner.
Maybe Monday, when she had the day off, she’d take Zack out to dinner if he was up to it. He must be a little bored with the hotel and coliseum. Even if they just went over to Mr. Whitney’s restaurant at least it would be a change of scene. If he felt really good he might want to check out his condo, get some more clothes. Dino had gone by the condo and run a few things over, which had been a great help to Zack. They owed Dino a few favors. She looked forward to when Deb would be able to do Sundays now that she had another interest in her life. Now she had to consider Zack’s needs as well as her own.
She had shoved angst about the future deep down once more repeating to herself: we’ll find a way, we’ll find a way. She had never been one to throw caution to the wind. But now she managed to compartmentalize the doubt into a little box hidden deep inside where only in her dreams it swelled and threatened to burst apart. She squeezed water from her hair then wrapped it in a towel. No more hanky panky tonight, I’ve got to be more strict! She smiled to herself. He needs to rest. They were a bad influence on each other. Well, maybe just a little nightcap. Even wounded he never got enough. Tsk, tsk! I’ll do all the work. Then they’d rest, she promised herself. She rolled her tongue along her upper lip and grinned at herself in the mirror. She massaged fragrant lotion on her skin and stepped into her bathrobe smiling at the remembrance of her and Zack in his shower and the things he did with soap. She recalled them washing sand off each other and how he’d found what he called her pearl and proceeded to dive for that pearl with his tongue.
He has given me a dirty mind. Since when do I think about sex all the time? Since I met the dirtiest minded sweetheart of a man I’ve ever known. With him she had been able to express herself sexually, sensually, in ways she didn’t know she had in her. He was a sensual demanding lover but playful and giving. So giving. She could be serious or silly with him. She had found a playful side of sex she didn’t know existed. She had found a passion she didn’t think she could ever live without again. Pulling the towel from her head she casually glanced through the window toward the lights of the city. Then she saw it. A dark figure in a dark mask. Watching her.
Thirteen
Zack’s gun pointed toward the window as he looked up and all around. The windows didn’t open in the bathroom and there was no terrace. There was a small ledge with decorative ironwork rails that left just a few inches between the rail and the glass. An arrangement commonly known as a ‘Juliet’. Zack looked for ropes attached to it while he barked into his phone at the security people. He had whisked Mo out and cleared the room upon hearing her scream. “Dammit,” he swore under his breath. If there had been any doubt that someone was still after Mo, it had evaporated.
Les Moore burst from the elevator accompanied by a man Zack and Mo had not seen before. There tended to be some rotation with ‘the boys’ on duty. Les had brought in a few more to ease the stress of 24/7 security. Even he had begun to doubt its necessity
. Until now. He wasn’t particularly crazy about the job. But at least he liked the people. “Hagman and Alonzo are on their way to the roof. Vince Smith has locked down the building. His people are all over. Security monitors have seen nothing. Greendale police are on their way.” Les looked through the bathroom window. “Had to come from the roof. You didn’t see anything?”
“Mo screamed and I was in here in seconds. He was gone, just like that.”
“Just like at your condo.” Les kept looking up out the window.
“My condo?” Zack still held his gun with his good hand. He had put the safety back on but he squeezed the handle tightly. “You’ll have to enlighten me.” He said seriously. Les told Zack what happened at the condo. His breath came fast as his anger mounted. She didn’t tell him.
“Smith found nothing on the roof. No sign of anything off the sixteenth floor. I’m going down to the basement and up the stairs to the roof. Gary will stay here. I need to know how someone was able to get onto that Juliet. Had to be from the roof. And they had to use the stairwell and get through a steel door electronically locked.” Les ran a hand through high and tight curly black hair.
“Chicago law says any building over three stories must not have automatically locking doors accessing the stairwell. Any doors accessing the roof must be an emergency exit. It must open from the inside and outside.” Zack said as they walked out of the bedroom. He was tired but enervated by this newest shock.
“Greendale too. But this hotel has a feature that bypasses the rule about the roof doors. They are emergency exits. But they’re bolted on both sides unless the alarm system is activated. Then they unlock automatically. So this peep didn’t get on the roof from that exit unless he somehow got the code. But security would have been alerted if that were the case. Guy’s found a way onto that roof. Your elevator has a bypass as well. Your key card is the only way to access this room. The keycard system can be over ridden by punching a code into that box in the elevator. The emergency exit into the hall works the same, and once opened automatically stays unlocked until it’s recoded.”
Fly With Fire Page 29